The present invention relates to sports training, and in particular, to machines for use in basketball, volleyball, and other sports training.
“Practice makes perfect,” so the adage goes. The game of basketball (as well as other sports) is not exempt from this age old adage. Practice is known to improve a player's basketball skills. Taking numerous shots at a basketball hoop is a key element of basketball practice as it develops the player's shooting ability and technique. However, unless a second player is present to rebound for the first player (the shooter), the first player must rebound his or her own shots. This rebounding process wastes time that could otherwise be used by the player to practice skills including shooting.
A wide variety of ball collectors have been conceived to collect basketballs shot at a basketball goal (including a backboard with an attached hoop). These ball collectors generally include netting and a frame positioned under and around the basketball goal. Ball collectors are often used in conjunction with a ball returner, which directs a ball back from the ball collector to the shooter.
Motorized ball returners can return basketballs to a shooter at various locations on a basketball court. Ball returners can be motorized and have programs that determine which direction to return balls, how many times to return the ball, etc. However, such ball returners can return basketballs only in a manner in which the ball returner is already programmed. This limits the usefulness of such ball returners.
Some motorized ball returners also calculate shooting percentage. A shot completion sensor senses whether a basketball goes through a basketball hoop, and sends that data to a computer that then calculates a shooting percentage over several shots. Such systems provide information on whether a shooter is shooting well or poorly, but do not provide data on why the shooter is shooting well or poorly.